U.S. Open trophy delivered to Shinnecock Hills as officials urge fans to take LIRR to tournament

The U.S. Open Golf Tournament Championship Trophy made its debut on the temporary Shinnecock Hills station train platform, with LIRR President Robert Free hoisting the three-century-old trophy.

The ceremonial stop spotlighted what officials say is the highly recommended transportation option for the upcoming tournament days. The temporary station is in use during U.S. Open week at Shinnecock Hills. 

Fans of the U.S. Open Golf Tournament, set to take place June 18-21, had the early opportunity to grab merchandise and see the trophy up close and personal. The last time the U.S. Open took place in the state was in 2020 at the Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck. The U.S. Open Trophy last arrived at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton in 2018.

“This is what every golf professional, every player on tour, this is what they want to win,” Eric Steimer, senior director of the U.S. Open Championships for the United States Golf Association, said during a news conference while holding the trophy. “Frankly, as we picked Shinnecock Hills as our golf club, one of the true cathedrals of the game, this is where they want to win.”

On days of the tournament, fans have the option to take the Long Island Rail Road, rideshare or drive. Personal parking spaces will not be an option at the course, but fans can pay to park at the Shinnecock reservation and take a shuttle provided by USGA over to the tournament. The USGA on its website calls the LIRR “the most sustainable, affordable and convenient transportation option.”

“We have experience working with the LIRR to help bring this to life,” Steimer said during a news conference. “The infrastructure in place is a massive undertaking. This is two-plus years of planning culminating right now.”

Getting to Shinnecock is an approximately three- to four-hour train ride from Penn Station, requiring multiple transfers. The Shinnecock station is not open year-round, with the station operating exclusively as a stop on the Montauk Branch for major golf events.

“I have driven out [here] a couple of times and seen the traffic already, and I know that the train is going to be a lot more convenient," Sheri Hill, from Westhampton Beach, said as she shopped at the nearby merchandise tent.

Ticket prices on New Jersey Transit were increased for other events this year that depend on train travel, such as the World Cup at MetLife Stadium. For the U.S. Open, an adult peak one-way LIRR ticket will set you back around $30, the standard price, if you are coming from Penn Station.

“We want to get people off the roads. We want it to be the best customer experience possible,” Free said. “We always try to be affordable, just as we do when we have to raise fares.”